Sitting on the couch with my daughter Star on a sunny afternoon, I sense there’s no point in putting it off.  I have to have that conversation with her about where she came from.  She’s six years old, after all. The television is on mute, although I can see there’s an advert about the Lunar Candy Factory and their competition to win a factory tour by finding a platinum ticket in one of their products.  I switch it off.

Star is looking up at me with bright brown eyes, her green face wreathed in smiles.  The sunlight streaming through the window shines off her green nose and cheeks and glints off her red hair.y nickname for her, based on her green complexion and sweet nature.

“OK, pretty daddy,” says Star giggling.     

“Pretty daddy, huh?  You’re quite the charmer, aren’t you?”

Star climbs onto my lap and gripping my shoulders with little green hands, rubs her shiny green nose against mine.  I wrap my arms around her small frame as she shakes with giggles.  I feel warm and happy inside.  “You’re such a sweet girl, Star,” I say softly.  “I’m so lucky to have you as my daughter.  That’s why I’ve got to tell you how I’m your father.”

Star gazes at me with wide brown eyes.

“Well sweetpea… seven years ago your mommy and I were trying to have a baby, but it had been a while and we kept trying different things to see if they would work.  One sunny day we were at the Carnival of Dreams which visits each summer.  The girl at the hoopla stand told us that ogres are strong and can … help ladies have strong babies.  There was an ogre at the carnival.  The ogre who accepts challenges for the fights at the carnival…”

I pause, remembering the ogre which fathered Star. He was given the title “Skull Splitter” and his human manager accepted challenges to fights on his behalf.  The fights were a spectacle that onlookers paid to see and could place bets on.  Probably no need to go into that with Star.  Neither of us like fighting.

Star is looking up at me with soft brown eyes.  I finish the story.  “Um… the ogre was happy to help mummy have a baby.  And guess what?  It worked!  Mommy got pregnant with you.  We were so happy when we found out we were going to have you.”

Star grins.  “I’m glad you’re my daddy.”

I feel a wave of warmth wash over me and I pull Star closer, holding her tight.  “And I’m glad you’re my daughter, sweetpea.  You mean the world to me.”

Tabbie, my wife, comes into the room at this point.  Tabbie’s whole face is tattooed with brightly coloured ink in a rainbow patter that includes a red, orange and yellow forehead, a green nose and cheeks and a blue lower half of her face that fades into a violet chin.  My wife and child are a colourful pair!  Tabbie grins and clasps her hands at the sight of me and Star hugging.  Her brown eyes, so like Star’s, are shining.    

“Sorry to interrupt, darlings.  But it’s time to go to Star’s parents’ evening.”

I stand, still clasping Star to me.  “Alright, let’s go.  Star, it’s time to meet your teacher.”

Star smiles, crinkling her shiny green nose.  “I like seeing my teacher.”

“That’s the spirit!”

When it’s time to set off, Star takes my hand and we all walk down the street.  Star’s wearing a cute flowery sundress.  I squeeze her little green hand gently, feeling a sense of pride as I walk alongside her.

We’re approaching the old school building and I feel a sense of anticipation building.  Star’s not nervous, but Tabbie is, I can tell by the way she runs her fingers through her shoulder length brown hair.

“Not nervous, are we girls?” I say aloud.

Star chuckles.  “No.”

Tabbie shuffles her feet.  Her tattooed face has creased with worry.  “I’ve gotta be nervous, cos I’m with the handsomest guy there is.  The other mommies will be looking at you, Jori.

“I wouldn’t worry about that.”

“They will gawp at you though.  Look at you, sky blue eyes, wavy dark hair, just right for a woman to run her fingers through, a freckled nose and cheeks that impart a youthful look, a strong jaw with a hint of stubble…”

“Daddy smells nice as well,” says Star giggling.  Her little green nose is twitching.  “Will the mommies there want to sniff him.”

Star has a keen sense of smell.  It’s because she’s part ogre.  Maybe something about my scent appeals to ogres and half-ogres…

“No, they won’t want to sniff me, Star,” I assure her.  I suppose I’m assuring Tabbie more than I’m assuring Star.

We walk through the school gates and take in the surroundings, noticing other parents and children moving about.  I am aware that several of the women do stop to gaze at me.

“Let’s find your classroom, Star,” I say, determinedly staring ahead as if I can’t see the women standing and staring at me.

Finding the room is a question of finding the right door number as we walk down the corridor.  Star sniffs the air and wrinkles her shiny green nose.  “It still smells of paint an’ paste.  I don’t like that.  Lemme sniff you instead, please daddy?”

I pick my little green daughter up and she puts her spindly arms around me and sniffs my neck.  Maybe this would be weird to a typical family, but not to us.

While I am distracted, Tabbie finds the correct room and knocks on the door.  After a moment, a soft voice calls out from inside the room, asking who it is.  Tabbie announces that it’s Star’s parents evening and the teacher, a kind-faced woman with a warm smile, opens the door and greets Tabbie’s announcement.  “Ah, Star’s mom and dad,” she says, stepping aside to allow us to enter.  “Please come in.”

The little room is supposed to accommodate thirty kids.  It must be crowded during school hours.  The kids have drawn pictures of themselves and put them on the walls.  I can immediately recognise Star’s – her self portrait includes her distinctive green skin and fiery hair.  We sit on little wooden chairs as best we can.  Star’s sitting on my lap.  The teacher sits down in her chair and begins discussing Star’s progress, her expression warm and friendly.  “My name is Ms Thompson,” she says, smiling at us.  “I’ve been Star’s teacher for a few months now, and I must say, she’s been an absolute delight.  Star has been an absolute joy to have in class.  She’s always kind to her fellow students and shows great empathy towards others.  It’s wonderful to see such a caring attitude in a child.”

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Ms Thompson’s voice is filled with praise!  She continues her report, expressing her satisfaction with Star’s academic performance.  “Academically, Star has been doing very well,” she says, a smile playing on her lips.  “She consistently shows a keen interest in learning and has been doing exceptionally well in her studies.  Her grades are among the highest in the class.”  Ms Thompson pulls out a certificate of excellence from her desk drawer and hands it to Star, her eyes twinkling.  “Here you go, Star,” she says, smiling warmly at my little green girl.  “This is a special certificate to recognise your outstanding academic achievements.  You should be very proud of yourself.”

Star beams, her little green face glowing with pride.  She slips off my knee to hug her teacher.  Ms Thompson chuckles warmly as Star hugs her, gently patting her on the back.  “Aww, you’re too sweet,” she says, returning the hug.  “You deserve this recognition, Star.  Keep up the good work.”

As the meeting comes to an end, we leave the classroom to make way for the next family to get a report for their kid.  We’re all pleased with the outcome of Star’s report.

“That went well,” I say, stroking her long red hair.  Star gives a little chuckle and hugs me around the waist.  I pick her up and she grins at me.  “Time for a treat in the sweetshop.”  Star gives a little squeal and rubs her cheek against mine to show her approval.  There’s something really great about visiting a sweetshop with a kid.  They think sweetshops are really special.  And Star’s enthusiasm for things is infectious.

I carry Star to the sweetshop.  My little ogre-girl’s eyes widen with excitement as she gazes upon the array of colourful candies on display.  There’s a lot of stock that comes from the Lunar Candy Factory, the most famous manufacturer of confectionary in the world.  There are all sorts of weird and wonderful treats of the Lunar brand: Lollipop dragons, foam dinosaurs, sugar birds, candy balloons and moon drops that turn spit blue.  Star picks a candy dragon, which wreathes in her grasp and belches out a candy spray, its sweet scent filling the air.  Star twitches her shiny green nose.  “It smells sweet, but my dad smells better, d’you agree?” Star asks the shopkeeper.

Oh dear, little ogre-children say the strangest things.

“Uh huh, that’s nice dear,” says the shopkeeper.

I buy a special Lunabar for Star.  Curious to see what’s inside, my little green girl eagerly unwraps the candy bar, revealing something that glows with an icy sheen – she’s found a platinum ticket.  A ticket to tour the Lunar candy factory.  They’ve been advertising these for months.

“Whoa!” Star exclaims, her eyes widening in excitement.  “Look, we won a plat’num ticket!”

“Just in the nick of time,” I add.  “The tour is tomorrow.”

Star does a little dance around Tabbie and I, her shiny green face wreathed in smiles.  Her joy is contagious and we exchange a glance, both smiling at Star’s enthusiasm.

00O00

Dawn the next morning

Next morning I awake at dawn with Star’s shiny green face next to mine.  She’s come into our bedroom and is standing by the bed.  “Good morning sweet daddy,” she giggles.  The light of the rising sun shines off her green nose and glints off her red hair.  “How did you sleep?”

“Morning, sweetpea,” I reply.  My voice is rough with sleep.  “You’re up early.”

Tabbie is still asleep next to me.

Star climbs onto the bed and nuzzles her shiny green nose against mine.  “My heart is so happy.” She giggles again.  “If I kiss your nose, will it taste like sunshine dust?”

“Sunshine dust, darling?  I’ve no idea what my nose tastes like.”

Star kisses me on the nose anyway.  “You taste like my sweet daddy.”

I stroke her long red hair.  “Right little charmer, aren’t you?”

“We’re going to the Lunar Candy Factory, pretty daddy,” she says, a smile playing on her dark green lips.  “We oughta get moving.”

I sit up slowly and run my fingers through my dishevelled hair.  Star wraps her arms around me, expecting me to carry her out of the room.  I chuckle softly and put my arms around her skinny little body.  I slowly rise with my little girl clinging to me.  “Yeah, you’re right.  We don’t want to be late for the tour.”

00O00

There’s quite a crowd at the factory gates when we arrive.  There’s a group of newspaper reporters waiting outside the gates.  One of the reporters, a young blond woman, approaches me, pen and notebook in hand.  “Excuse me,” she says, looking up slightly to be able to stare at me face.  “We understand your daughter has found a platinum ticket in a Lunar candy bar.  Can you tell us how she came across it?”

I smile politely at the reporter and reply to her question.  “Ah, yes.  My name is Jori and my daughter Star found the platinum ticket after buying a Lunabar at a local sweetshop yesterday.  She was absolutely thrilled when she discovered it.”

The reporter fidgets and her nose and cheeks flush pink.  “I – uh - ” she glances at her notebook and back and me.

Tabbie is standing beside me and her brown eyes flicker between the reporter and I as the reporter’s gaze lingers on me.  Her brightly coloured tattooed face seems to darken slightly as she observes the interaction between me and the reporter.  She crosses her arms and frowns slightly.

Star giggles.  “Why are you staring at me daddy?” she asks the reporter.

The reporter is startled by Star’s question and quickly snaps out of her gawping at me and turns her attention to the little green girl.  “Oh, um… I’m just doing my job, sweetie.  I’m taking pictures and asking questions for the newspapers.”

Star tilts her head.  “Why do you want pictures of my daddy?” The little ogre-girl lifts up her arms which is her signal that she wants me to pick her up.  I lift her up so she can see the reporter’s camera.  The reporter smiles at us both.  “Well,” she says, addressing Star, “your daddy is a very handsome man and lots of people want to see what he looks like.”

“Ohhh.  Is my daddy going to be a movie star?” asks Star.

The reported chuckles softly and shakes her head.   “No, sweetie.  Your daddy isn’t a movie star, but women everywhere will want to see his picture on the front page.”

Tabbie touches my arm.  This serves as a subtle reminder that I am already taken.  The reporter notices the gesture and nods politely.  “Of course.  Jori is married to you, correct?”

“Yes,” replies Tabbie, a hint of coolness in her voice.  “We’ve been married for ten years, and we’ve got Star together too.”

The reporter nods.  She glances at me holding Star in my arms, then back at Tabbie.  “I see.  Congratulations on your marriage.  You have a beautiful family.”

Tabbie gives her a slight nod.  “Thank you, my husband and daughter are very beautiful.  Aren’t you supposed to be reporting on the platinum ticket findings rather than my hot husband?”

“Sure.  I’ll interview the lucky winner,” says the reporter, smiling at Star.  She adjusts her camera and prepares to ask her first question.  “Hi there, Star.  I’m sure our readers would love to know more about you.  So, can you tell us a bit about yourself?”

Star ponders the question for a moment.  “Well, I’m a girl.  And I’m six years old.”

The reporter nods, making a mental note of Star’s age. She smiles warmly at the little green girl and asks another question.  “That’s great.  What are some of your favourite things to do, Star?  Do you like playing with friends, reading books, or going on adventures?”

Star clings to me tightly.  “My favourite thing is spending time with my daddy,” she says happily. 

I hug my little green daughter tight, feeling a warm glow of happiness inside.  Let the camera capture my fond smile for posterity!

“Aww, that’s sweet,” the reporter says.  “It’s clear that you two have a special bond.”

At that moment, there is a loud creaking of rusty hinges and the great iron gates of the factory begin to swing open. 

The crowd are suddenly silent. 

“There she is!” someone shouts and points.  “That’s her!  Madame Lunar!  Owner of the factory!”

And so it is…